Selenium-cell regulator.



VM. MosKoWITz. SELENIUM CELL REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1910` 1,107,438. Patented Aug.18,1911

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

MORRIS MOSKOWITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO 4CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, A CORPORATION Ol' NEW YORK,

TRUSTEE.

, T all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, MORRIS MoSK'owrrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new 'and useful Improvements in Selenium-Cell i provide improved means for automatically controllingthe voltage of a circuit.

Another object is to provide regulating means adapted to be conveniently mounted for inspection and which shall require but little adjustment.

In a lightin system, to which this in venv tion is particuirly adapted, one of the main objects is :to secure steady, uniform illumination. I propose therefore, to provide regulation which is lcontrolled directly by the illumination itself, rather than by the customaryr indirect 4means which bears some relation to the illumination.

In carrying out my'invention, I propose to make use of a selenium cell or other element, whichhas the property ofvarying its electrical resistance in accordance' with the illumination to which it is subjected. Itis apparent that a number of instrumentalities may be combined with va selenium 'cell' in order to produce a regulator or a regulating system adaptedv to any one of a number of varying conditions. In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a car lighting system which embodies one of the various combinations which may be employed.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated diagrammatically, a suitable generator 1, having a shunt field 2, connected in circuit with a storage battery 3. A switch 4 which may be of any suitable type, such for example as the automatic switch used in connection with many car lighting systems, is adapted to close the circuit from the generator to the battery,` and the external circuit. The circuit is supplied by the storage battery under normal conditions.

W hen the generator is running 'at the proper speed to develop a voltage in excess of that of the battery, the generator will charge the battery and also carry the lamp Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led June 18, 1910. Serial No. 567,612.

SELENIUM-,CELL REGULATOR.

load. In order to overcome the counter E M. F. of the battery, a voltage somewhat higher than the battery voltage is required of the generator, and in order that this excess Voltage may not be impressed upon the lamp circuit, it is necessary to provide suitable means suc-h as a resistance to control4 said circuit within the proper limits.

In the system illustrated, the circuit from the battery and generator is through conductor 5, lamp circuit 6, 6, re ulating lamp 7, variable resistance 8, conductor 9, and thence back to the battery and generator. The regulating circuit 'is connected around the lamp circuit and maybe traced from conducto-r 10, through selenium cell 11 and solenoid 12, back to the main circuit. A plurality of cellsmaybe used if desired. The resistance 8 maybe of any suitable type, the one Illustrated consisting of a series of carbon blocks under pressure and adapted to vary their resistanceI in accordance with fluctuations in pressure applied to` the ends of the series. The solenoid 1Q is provided with a plunger 13, which rocks the bell crank lever 14 about it-s pivot 15, thereby causing the adjustable screw 16 to provide a varying pressure 'for the carbon blocks. It is obvious that any other suitable resistance 'mechanism may be employed', the one described being forthe pu`rpoiseof illustration only. Furthermore, although no method of regulation is illustrated in lconnection with the generator,- it is obvious that any one of a number of, successful forms of regulation may be employed.

The regulating lam 7 'and the selenium cell 11 are located pre erably in a light tight case or receptacle 17, as the resistance of the selenium cell decreases as the light upon it increases, so that it is necessary to shut of all outside sources of light which may effect the `operation of the device. The regulating Patented'Aug. 18, 1914.

lamp 7 is preferably a carbon filament in candescent lamp adapted to 'burn well below normal candle power, so that a slight variation in voltage will cause a perceptible fluctuation in the candle power of said lamp. It is obvious that if the regulating lamp used was simply one ofthe ordinary lamps in the lighting circuit burning under normal conditions, the fiuctuations in iight necessary to effect the selenium cell would be so great that the object of the regulation would be defeated.

The operation oi. the system is as follows: W hen the lighting system is at its minimum or normal' voltage, for example 30 volts, the regulating lever' '.14 will lower of its Own weight, thereby compressing the .carbon disks 8 so as to redu-ce to a minimum the resistance in the lamp circuit. When however, the generator speeds up and closes the automatic switch 4 to charge the battery and feed the lamps at the Sametime, the slight increased Yolt'age on the lamp circuit will increase the candle power of the regulating lamp 7, the light from which lamp, imping- -ing on selenium cell 11, will decrease its voltage, a reversal of the above operation will take place, the increased resistance of the selenium cell reducingthe current vin the solenoid` 12, thereby decreasing the resistance of the carbon disks 8. It will be further apparent that the operation will be substantially the same where a plurality of selenium cells are used. It should be noted that the regulating lamp 7 is connected directly across the lamp circuit 6, so that it responds to all fluctuations in the lamp circuit.

While the above invention has been de-A scribed in connection with a voltage regulater for a lamp circuit, itI is apparent that it is not limited to this use, but may be applied wherever regulation is desired depending on a change in the electrical conditions of the circuit to be re ulated, whether saidchange depends on vo tage or current and whether a lamp circuit or other circuit is employed. It is further apparent that the invention is not to be limited to the luse of an incandescent lamp, as any suitable light emitting translating device may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters -Patent of the United States is 1. A lighting) system comprising a main circuit, a vari( le resistance for 'controlling said circuit, a branch circuit and an electrically controlled means .in said branch circuit for controlling said variable resistance, a controlling lamp in the main circuit, and a light responsive resistance element under control of said lamp arranged to vary the strength of said electrically controlled means, thereby controlling the main circuit.

2. A system of electrical regulation, comprising a main circuit,a variable resistance device therein, electro-magneticalloperated controlling means therefor, a amp in the main circuit, and a light responsive resistance controlled by the intensity of illumination thereof arranged in series with said electro-magnetically controlled means, whereby upon slight variations in the intensity of said light the strength of said controllin means willbevaried, and thereby the resistance of the main circuit influenced. In witness whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

MORRIS MOSKOWITZ. Witnesses:

Cries. Gr. SMITH, RAY G. LONDON. 

